The traditional presidential regatta in rowing on Dragon class boats has started. The event is nationwide. The competition is interdepartmental. The participants are not professional sportsmen. The official name is "The President's Family for Healthy Lifestyle". The project was proposed by the PMR President, who is also the President of the PMR Rowing Federation Vadim Krasnoselsky. The President and his wife Svetlana Krasnoselskaya previously took part in regattas as part of the team of the PMR Presidential Administration – the winner of the 2022 and 2023 Super Cups. The Krasnoselsky couple are at the competition as honorary guests, mentors and fans this year. Olympic champion Larisa Popova is on the spectator bench next to them.
Presidential regattas have been held in Pridnestrovie since 2017 under the motto "The President for Healthy Lifestyle" at first, then at the insistence of the PMR President the name was changed to "The President's Family for Healthy Lifestyle". The lineup changed as well. Not only and not so much professional athletes and veterans of rowing began to be involved in participation, but also amateurs, and for many it was the first experience. The initiator of the new approach Vadim Krasnoselsky recommended forming corporate teams. This allowed to involve a significant number of Pridnestrovians representing various spheres of activity in the project. The number of citizens systematically engaged in rowing at the amateur level reached a thousand people with the launch of interdepartmental races on Dragon class boats. This was facilitated by the creation of conditions for organizing the training process at the state level. Over 13 million rubles have been allocated for the repair of infrastructure, equipping rowing bases, purchasing equipment and sports equipment over eight years. Sports schools have acquired modern kayaks, canoes, academic boats, "dragons" – more than a hundred new units with all the accompanying elements (oars, vests). To keep sportsmen in shape in the off-season, specialized exercise machines were purchased and halls and sports grounds were equipped.
52 teams are participating in the race this year. Each team has at least eight people. Most of the crews are mixed (4/4), seven are female. Many departments and organizations have presented more than one team this time. The age of participants is from 15 years (junior block). The competition is held at the Tiraspol rowing base. The distance is 300 meters. The races are paired. The competition system is mixed: a qualifying handicap, then a knockout fight – the Olympic principle. The winners in the subgroups are determined, and then the owner of the challenge super cup. The regatta is two days long.
The first stage of the competition – preliminary races – began early this morning. The task of the crews is to show the minimum time. The decision on who will continue the competition Based is made on the first data. The participants are divided into 6 groups: law enforcement agencies; enterprises, organizations, institutions; civil bodies of state power and administration; schoolchildren; women's teams. The PMR President reminded in his parting words to the participants that "The President's Family for Healthy Lifestyle" regatta in the current format is being held for the fourth time and during this time it has managed to captivate a significant number of Pridnestrovians – of different ages, professions, fields of activity, and levels of training – in rowing on the so-called draganboats. This is explained by the accessibility and democratic nature of this sport, says Vadim Krasnoselsky: "Anyone can get into a boat, try their hand, and most importantly – feel like part of a team and at the same time bear personal responsibility for the result". The PMR President expressed satisfaction with the pace of spread of mass sports in Pridnestrovian society both among children and young people, and among representatives of older generations. "It is gratifying that people strive for health, for healthy lifestyle," the President emphasized. He noted the good level of training of the teams, which the participants demonstrated already at the first stage. The fight is serious. The strongest will win, Vadim Krasnoselsky expressed confidence. He called the victory over oneself the main victory of each. The traditional wishes to the rowers from the President are easy water. Svetlana Krasnoselskaya joined in the parting words, adding wishes for a good mood.
